And Hope Will Lead Us On
by Alex Beckett
Summary: Due to circumstances beyond their control, Jordan, Dwight and a heavily pregnant Audrey are snowed in at Audrey's place for a night. Just what will happen when a human taser, a bullet attractor and the Chosen One are stuck together? At any rate, it'll make for an interesting night for all of them.
1. Bunkering Down

**I don't own anything or anyone, except for the products of my imagination.**

**Sorry for any inaccuracies - I've only seen up to 3x15, and it's also my first story for Haven.**

* * *

_December 2014_

* * *

The one thing that Jordan McKee really disliked about herself was the fact that she was a human taser.

Just a single touch to another person, even accidentally, would have them writhing on the ground and screaming in pain. That is, if the magnitude of the pain didn't knock them unconscious first.

Sure, her Trouble was useful when it came to carrying out her orders for The Guard, but none of it kept her from being a normal woman.

A normal woman who had given up hope for so much.

Someone to love her.

Children.

A happy ending.

Okay... maybe Jordan hadn't given up on someone to love her.

After Duke shot her on the day Audrey vanished in the Barn, it was Nathan who had brought her back to town and to the hospital so she could get the medical attention she needed, but it had been Dwight who sat by her side while she recovered and trudged her way through physical therapy. He would bring her flowers, tell her stories to keep her entertained and he even made sure he ate.

One time, he even surprised her with new gloves for her hands because she'd mentioned that she wanted to try a different material than leather. Who knew that Dwight Hendrickson could be such a sweet guy?

It's been over a year since that awful day, and now Jordan and Dwight were inseparable, and the whole town knew it. Nothing has been able to shake their incredible relationship - if that was even the appropriate term - and each person considered it baby steps towards a day when they would both know for sure how to define themselves.

* * *

Reality check.

It was December, a week before Christmas, and winters in Maine were a bitch. The cold and snow were just unreal, always leaving Jordan with the mindset of a caged animal and wishing that she could go somewhere warm. Like Bora Bora.

But no, she was in Haven where the heavens had opened up, having decided to grace their little town with one of the biggest snowstorms in recent history. And where were she and Dwight, exactly? Currently shedding their jackets and snow gear in the front doorway of Audrey's and Nathan's cozy little loft above the Grey Gull.

They were there in the first place was because Nathan had sent them to keep Audrey company while he and Duke closed down shop at the police station. Jordan and Dwight also happened to be the closest neighbors.

They were also there because Nathan hadn't wanted Audrey to be alone at all. Especially when she was nine months pregnant and due at any time now.

* * *

"You can set your things on this." Audrey was already spreading out a blanket on the floor by the furnace. "The weather report on the radio just said that the snow is going to keep falling through the night."

"If we get snowed in, at least we're warm with power and food."

Audrey nodded in agreement, but Dwight's words came out in a hiss. "Don't say things like that, Jordan! If this was a movie, it would've just gotten worse!"

"Good thing this is real life, and that there's a difference between fact and fiction."

Audrey shook her head and laughed as Dwight tried to think of a comeback; these two were very cute together and just didn't understand why they weren't an official couple yet. Shoot - Dwight was currently living with Jordan while his apartment was getting fumigated.

"You two are something else." Audrey remarked, causing the other two to jump and remember she was there. "You know what they say about those who fight like that - it means they really love each other."

Jordan turned beet red and made a show of smoothing out the wrinkles in her shirt while Dwight went straight for the kitchen, deciding that he'd make use of the food Audrey's kitchen since it was something to do.

"Hey, are you alright, Jordan?" Audrey noticed that she was hanging back, clenching and unclenching her palms as if she was testing something out. "Are your gloves bothering you?"

The dark-haired woman tried to brush the concern off. _"I_ should be asking about _your_ well-being. You're the one carrying precious cargo, not me."

"Baby girl and I are great, although she loves to kick the crap out of me even though there's no room left in there." Audrey let out a small grunt and massaged the underside of her massive belly. "See what I mean? She's been even jumpier since she heard you and Dwight come in."

Jordan smiled wistfully, wondering what it felt like to carry a baby for nine months and wondering if any of her theoretical children would have her Trouble.

"What's the matter with your gloves?"

"They're soaked through because it's really coming down out there, and now my fingers are freezing. I don't have the dexterity to even take them off."

Jordan hated sounding so pathetic, but everything she'd said was true and she was afraid to ask Dwight for help because she didn't want to hurt him. Audrey felt compassion for her.

"Then I'll help you out." Audrey sat down on the couch and Jordan joined her. "I'm not afraid of you zapping me."

"There's something I've got to confess, though." Jordan confessed as Audrey began fumbling with the clasp on the right glove. "Dwight and I haven't told anyone."

A million thoughts went through Audrey's head at this, most of them that would make Jordan either squirm or scold Audrey for having a gutter-brain. She chose to work on the glove, instead of running the risk of embarrassing Jordan.

"It's about what happened when I was in physical therapy after Duke shot me."

Audrey looked up at this. Jordan had never once revealed her side of events from that day to her because they weren't really friends. In fact, Jordan was more Nathan's associate than hers.

"Has your curse worsened?"

"We're not sure what happened and neither are the doctors, but something happened where little by little and now my curse is becoming controllable."

"When was the last time you were able to do that?" Audrey finally freed Jordan's hand and pretended not to notice how fast she withdrew it. "A long time ago?"

"Not since the last time the Troubles were back, when I was five."

"Have you ever zapped Dwight?"

"A few times." Audrey undid the other glove and slid it off, continuing to listen. "He has a very high threshold for pain because it doesn't seem to get to him the way it does to most people."

"Dwight sounds like a keeper."

Jordan blushed spectacularly. "Audrey, shh!"

"What? You've gotta be kidding yourself if you say you don't have any feelings for him."

"Just because he's been staying at my house while his place is being fumigated, that doesn't mean I have a crush on him, or something!"

Audrey laughed when Jordan turned redder. "I never said that, but I see the way that you two look at each other."

"I - what are you doing? I'll hurt you!"

Audrey had taken Jordan's hands in hers and was drying them off with a clean shirt from her massive laundry pile. To Jordan's great surprise, Audrey was showing zero signs of having been zapped.

"Are you like Nathan? Can you not feel anything?"

"Oh, I can definitely feel, but I am also troubled."

"Excuse me? You mean there's something besides recycling identities every twenty-seven years?"

"I'm immune to the Troubles."

"That's not a trouble; that's a blessing." Jordan regarded Audrey's belly briefly. "Do you know if your child will be like you or Nathan?"

"No, but if she does inherit a trouble, we hope it's mine and not Nathan's."

Audrey glided a hand over her belly, smiling when the baby made contact with her.

"Can I ask you something, Jordan?"

"Alright."

"Why did Nathan ask you and Dwight to come over here to 'keep an eye on me'? And don't tell me it's because you two are our closest neighbors. The first time you and I met, sparks almost flew between us."

"Dwight is Dwight," they glanced over at the man to see him hard at work, making a platter of sandwiches. "And if anything, I've noticed that he's reformed you, or something. I trust you now, and I want to be friends. Jesus."

That last word came out in a groan and Audrey held a hand to the spot where the baby was kicking.

"She will not let up! Feel this!"

Before Jordan could protest, Audrey was already placing her hand over the spot where the baby was moving.

"Oh, wow." Jordan breathed in childlike wonder. "That's really neat."

"She likes you. Oh, there she goes, using her hands and elbows."

Wide awake now, Audrey's baby was testing the confines of her space, intrigued by Jordan. She felt a series of taps and nudges under her palm and looked curiously at Audrey.

"Has she been like this before Dwight and I got here?"

"Off and on, but no, I'm not in labor."

"How would you know?"

Audrey opened her mouth to answer, but her voice came out in a sigh when her stomach growled.

"Well, that was fun while it lasted. Will you help me up so we can see what Dwight made?"

Jordan stood but hesitated in giving Audrey assistance.

"Come on, Jordan. You can't hurt me with your curse. You just saw that it did nothing to me. Do you have another pair of gloves with you?"

"Unfortunately, no. They're all at home."

"Then just be careful not to touch Dwight. Please help me up; now I have to pee."

Coming to her senses, Jordan helped Audrey to her feet and then moved out of her way as she hurried to the nearest bathroom. Not having anything else to do, Jordan wandered over to the kitchen and looked out the window. It was only six-fifteen at night and it was already so dark that she could barely make out the outside landscape as it continued to be buried in snow. Even still, Jordan was mesmerized by the snowflakes.

Naturally, she about jumped out of her skin when she felt a strong arm snake around her waist from behind and pull her close. Because of her curse because it had manifested when she was only five, Jordan didn't really remember physical contact anymore, but when Dwight showed it to her just by cradling her, she loved it.

But damn Dwight for messing with her feelings all the time.

These days, they described what they had as 'really close friends,' but when there was nobody else around, things like this tended to happen.

"What are you doing, Dwight?"

"Is it a crime to want to hold you?"

Only because I don't know where we are, Jordan thought. I love you.

"Of course not."

Jordan blew on her hands and rubbed them together to keep warm even though the furnace was on. Even when she was a kid, she'd had poor circulation in her hands. Tucking them close to her body, she leaned against Dwight.

"What happened to your gloves?" he asked.

"They got soaked, so Audrey set them out to dry. I'm cold."

Dwight immediately enveloped her in a hug, his heart twisting because he couldn't hold this gorgeous woman the way he wanted to without getting hurt.

He wasn't sure what it was, but for some reason, Jordan seemed a little off her game tonight and it made Dwight sad for her. More than anything, he wished he could make her happy. Why? Because he loved her.

* * *

After their meal of ham sandwiches and hot chocolate, Audrey tried calling Nathan to see if he and Duke were close to being done, but the phone connection was shoddy at best. A minute after Audrey hung up on Nathan, she received a text from him that made her want to throw her phone across the room.

"What is it?" Dwight asked her.

"Nathan just said that he and Duke are snowed in at the station, meaning that neither of them will be able to make it back here!"

"Which means that it looks like Jordan and I will be here until the snow clears up."

The woman in question looked up from the old radio Audrey had been using earlier. "According to the reports I'm hearing, the snow will have moved on by tomorrow morning at the earliest. It's not a blizzard out there, but it might as well be."

Audrey set her phone aside and stretched out on the couch. "This is the only time I wish that someone's trouble was behind the snow because I'd track them down and get them to stop."

"Right. Nathan asked us to come keep an eye on you. He'd come after us for letting you go anywhere outside the loft right now, and Duke would help."

"It's just wishful thinking."

She tried to get comfortable but found it really hard when seven pounds of active, kicking baby was pressing down on her from the inside. Jordan was closer in proximity to Audrey than Dwight was and hurried to her side, kneeling down beside her. Honestly, Jordan wasn't sure what was going on that was turning her so soft, but she shrugged it off when it became clear that Audrey was in more discomfort than she'd been letting on.

"How can I help you?"

She gingerly brushed Audrey's hair out of her face.

"What are you going?" Dwight squawked. "You know what happens when you touch people!"

"Audrey's trouble is that she's immune to all troubles. She can't feel the electrical shocks."

"I'd take that over being a bullet attractor..."

Audrey sat up again, restless. "The one thing I would really like is to remember being pregnant with James because that way I'd know if the last leg of pregnancy has to be so uncomfortable!"

Neither Dwight nor Jordan had a good answer to that. They were among a small handful who knew the truth about Audrey being the mother of the Colorado Kid and they also knew that after the whole Barn thing, he hadn't returned. Audrey didn't like to talk about it, so nobody ever pried.

Suddenly, the power went out.

"Well, that's just great." Dwight turned to Audrey. "Where do you keep flashlights and batteries?"

"Figure it out yourself." she snarled, finally accepting the amount of pain she was in. "Kind of busy right now."

For extra measure, Jordan shot Dwight a poisonous look for being so dumb. He got the message and hurried off. After a few minutes of searching, Dwight found a supply of mathches, candles and flashlights and busied himself with lighting the loft up. Jordan, meanwhile, was more concentrated on trying to comfort Audrey.

It went on like this for over an hour - Audrey gritting her teeth through the pain with Jordan trying make her feel better, and Dwight gathering various things that he hoped would make Audrey feel comfortable.

"I'm sorry." Audrey started apologizing at one point, near tears. "I'm so sorry!"

Jordan was completely wrapped around Audrey's finger now. "For what?"

"For not telling you and Dwight that I've been in labor. I don't think I even realized it."

"It's okay." Jordan soothed. "It's okay."

"How would you know? You've never been in this position!"

"You're correct. I'm just trying to help."

"I know." Audrey blew out a breath. "Damn, this really hurts. Will you to sit with me so I can have someone to lean against?"

Jordan quickly obeyed and let Audrey lean against her. A year ago, she wouldn't have been here at all because she had been so steaming jealous of Audrey's and Nathan's happiness, but things were different now because she had Dwight in her life. She finally had it in her to open up to Audrey and maybe even become friends with her.

"Let's talk about something else, hmm? Have you and Nathan thought of a name for your daughter yet?"

"It's a surprise, but you'll like it. Trust me on that one."

She leaned against Jordan and closed her eyes so she could focus on her breathing exercises. To Jordan's amazement, Audrey became so relaxed after a few minutes that she fell asleep in her arms. Dwight approached cautiously.

"Did she fall asleep?"

"I don't know how she's managing, but she did and she'd probably wake up if I moved. I'm going to stay with her."

The longer Jordan held Audrey in her arms and felt the baby move against her, the more undone her heart became as she longed for a happy ever after.

Dwight spread a blanket over Audrey and then knelt in front Jordan, gently touching a hand to her thigh. Unable to stop herself, Jordan let out a contented sigh because she and Dwight both knew that this was the closest to intamacy as they could get without her zapping him.

"Are you alright, Jordan? You still seem sad."

Okay, she coached herself. You can do this, you can tell Dwight how you feel about him.

"I - oh, that's not good..."

Jordan's words got derailed when she felt a cold liquid seeping towards her from Audrey's direction and the next second, Audrey woke and sat up with a start, yelling through a contraction. Jordan kept a hand on Audrey's back while Dwight let Audrey brace her hands against his shoulders. When it passed, Jordan and Dwight were comforting her as best they could.

"Anything you need, Audrey, and we'll help you, I promise." Dwight told her.

"Even if it means using Jordan or myself as pain outlets."

"We can handle it." Jordan tacked on. "I'm stronger than I look, and so is Dwight."

"Good. I need you two to help deliver the baby."

As Audrey pulled off her hoodie, leaving her down to her tank top and yoga shorts, she didn't notice how Jordan blanched at the idea even though she knew it was coming, or even how Dwight remained straight faced, despite Audrey's next words.

"My baby is going to be born some time tonight because my water broke!"

* * *

**Should I keep going?**


	2. My Heart

**Thanks for all the love!**

* * *

Audrey was definitely in labor, and further along than she thought.

"Do either of you know how to deliver a baby?" she panted in between contractions. "Please tell me one of you does!"

Dwight came to his senses first and turned to Jordan. "I know how to do it, and I need you to help me."

"Okay." Jordan chose not to argue. "What do you need?"

"Clean towels and sheets, a set of sterilized scissors and some kind of suctioning tool."

Jordan was off like a shot, collecting everything and trying to ignore the sounds of Audrey's anguished cries of pain. As much as Jordan herself wanted to carry her own child inside her, she'd want as many numbing drugs as possible; just because she generated pain did not mean she enjoyed feeling it.

"Alright!" she came hurrying back about ten minutes later and quickly laid everything out on the coffee table. "How far along has Audrey's labor progressed?"

Dwight checked quickly. "Ten centimeters. It's show time."

"What?" Audrey and Jordan yelped at the same, although Audrey's exclamation ended in a string of expletives.

"No time to argue." Dwight put on his game face and spoke seriously to Jordan. "I need you to get behind Audrey to support her and give her moral support."

Jordan sat on the couch and gingerly pulled Audrey close enough to get her sitting in between her legs. The idea was to have Audrey leaning against her, but the poor woman was almost scared stiff and in tears.

"I'm so scared, and I need Nathan!" she whimpered. "I can't do this without him!"

Jordan spoke soothingly and used the hair tie from her own ponytail and using it to tie Audrey's hair up. "Yes, you can. I have so much faith in you."

"Why?"

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret - despite all of the crazy things that have happened to you since we first met, I've always admired you because you are tougher, stronger and braver than I've ever been and ever could be. You've survived everything, and it's made you that much stronger. That's why I have faith in you."

Although Audrey's back was to Jordan, she could feel her friend relax into her hold.

"Good girl." Jordan cooed. "Now take my hands and don't let go."

Audrey held Jordan's hands, realizing that it was now or never. "Tell me when I have to push!"

Dwight checked on Audrey's progress again. "I'm going to count backwards, okay? Three, two, one, PUSH!"

Audrey bore down and yelled her way through the pain. "Shit, this hurts! I'm supposed to be in the hospital, doped up on happy drugs!"

"Get it all out." Jordan encouraged. "It's okay."

Audrey took a small breather when Dwight told her to, but the second her gave her the go ahead, she was back at it, doing everything she could to get her impatient child out of her body. Because she was currently experiencing tunnel vision, she didn't even hear Jordan's quiet winces or her puffs of breath as her fingers were squeezed harder than they'd ever been squeezed before.

Naturally, Jordan didn't complain because she didn't want Audrey to flip out on her, but even at that, Jordan was completely enthralled by what was happening in front of her.

Truth be told, it all made her want to confess her feelings to Dwight and maybe even jump his bones and have his baby even more, she forced herself to really focus when they were at the halfway point because Dwight became stern.

"Audrey, your daughter is halfway out, but the umbilical cord is wrapped around her neck."

"No! No, no, no!"

Jordan touched her cheek to Audrey's temple in reassurance. "Just relax, honey, and let Dwight take care of her."

Audrey let herself lean against the other woman, taking momentary relief at the feel of the cool hands on her hot skin. That didn't keep the tears from falling down her face.

"Just relax." Jordan repeated as calmly as possible. "Dwight will fix her."

Right on cue, Dwight spoke up. "Baby girl is all untangled, Audrey, and I need you to get ready to push again!"

Audrey sat up with new determination and reached out for her friend. "Jordan?"

The woman in question pulled Audrey up a little higher and held her a little tighter. "I'm right here, sweetie. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Dwight gave Audrey another order to push and Audrey complied, cursing and yelling even more. It went on like this for almost two more hours before a particular announcement was made over the sound of newborn cries.

"Your daughter is here, Audrey! She's here!"

Jordan caught Audrey yet again, this time as she cried happy tears. "Can I hold her before you cut the umbilical cord? Please?"

After clearing the child's airway, Dwight placed the baby on Audrey's chest and Audrey immediately swelled with love like she'd never truly known.

"Hi, beautiful girl. Mama's here now, and I'm so happy to see you and hold you. Daddy will say the same thing when he sees you, I just know it. I love you so much."

The baby's cries had already quieted at the sound of her mother's voice until she was just whimpering quietly.

"Audrey," Dwight said gently. "We need to cut the umbilical cord now so you can push out the placenta. The sooner that's done, the better."

"Is Jordan going to hold her?"

Jordan looked up, startled. "What? But my gloves are still drying out! What if I hurt her? I would never be able to live with myself if I hurt a defenseless baby..."

Dwight reached over and rubbed Jordan's thigh comfortingly. "You're not going to hurt her."

He had a point - Jordan was holding the child of a woman who was immune to the Troubles and also of a man who couldn't feel anything. There was was a very big chance that this child wouldn't be able to feel Jordan at all.

"Come on. Just come over here, babe."

That last word had Jordan feeling lighter than air - she'd been suspecting for years, really, that Dwight also felt something towards her, and the term of endearment had confirmed it for her because she knew that he was not a man to just throw romantic names around. In a dreamlike state, Jordan got off the couch and propped Audrey up with a few pillows before kneeling down beside Dwight.

"Just take her from Audrey and slowly bring her down towards me." Dwight instructed. "Can you do that?"

Jordan nodded, but realized the baby was cold, so she quickly draped a towel over the baby's back, using that as an excuse not to touch the her. She wanted to avoid that as long as she could. It was a little sad, but she, Jordan Rachel McKee, was afraid to really hold a little innocent baby.

She watched as Dwight cut the umbilical cord, but the second she realized that the baby was depending on her for everything, Jordan set to work and began cleaning her up.

"Auntie Jordan is here now." she found herself telling the baby. "You aren't mine, but I can't help already loving you like you are because you make me really want to have my own kid. Who knows? Maybe you'll be getting a playmate in a year or two."

The baby switched from cooing to grizzling, trying to get at Jordan's breasts, clearly hungry for milk already.

"Sorry, my sweet, but you won't be getting anything from there at all."

The baby let out a huff indignation and flailed her arms. One of her tiny hands came into contact with Jordan's chest, exposed by her low-cut shirt and Jordan flinched, waiting for the electrical shock to come, but it never came.

Instead, the baby wiggled closer, realizing that there was body heat to be felt. Jordan happily obliged her and held her close, but when she turned to Audrey to tell her the new development, she elected to stay quiet because Audrey was already exhausted, and in the process of delivering the afterbirth.

It could wait.

* * *

Shortly after everything had been cleaned up and the baby was back in her mother's arms, Jordan sent Nathan a message and picture of his new daughter. Audrey didn't even last an hour before getting sleepy and leaving her daughter in the care of Dwight and Jordan, with the latter becoming strangely proprietary of the little one.

"You know," Dwight said after he, Jordan and the baby had relocated the main bed, across the room. "You look natural with a baby in your arms, and this one really likes you. This is a sight I could get used to..."

Butterflies popped up in Jordan's stomach and she absently raked her fingers over her stomach.

"Really, Dwight?"

"Mhm." he leaned over and kissed her temple. "I think she'd be your clone, down to the last freckle. She's probably going to have your sassiness, too."

Jordan raised her eyebrows. "A daughter, huh? With my attitude? We're screwed, especially if she gets my curse..."

Dwight kissed Jordan again. "But we'll get through it, and she'll know that she has two parents who love her and each other."

Mindful of the jumping jacks in her stomach and the slumbering newborn in her arms, Jordan looked adoringly at the man she'd been in love with for years.

"Dwight, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"That I've always been in love with you and want to have a family with you and that it only took seeing you hold the child of Haven's very own savior in your arms to finally say it?"

Jordan laughed at Dwight's long-winded statement. "Yes, all of that."

"Then yes, I'm saying exactly what I thought you were. Jordan, I love you so much and I want to be with you, but only if this is goes both ways."

"Oh, believe me, it does." Jordan leaned against him and made a near purring sound, still sad that she couldn't touch Dwight the way she desperately wanted to now. "I've loved you since the time you rescued me from that mud puddle I'd been pushed into."

Dwight blinked in surprise. "The year was nineteen eighty-three, we were both five, and the boys that pushed you were seven. That was also when I learned about your curse."

"As corny as it's going to sound, that was the first time it ever manifested."

Jordan admitted. "I've loved you in some capacity ever since."

"Do you want try this?" he was almost shy, like a schoolboy confronting his crush. "Us, I mean?"

"Yes, but how can you love me when I can't be touched, except for three people, including this little girl?"

Dwight's heart turned to butter because it was a rare sight to see Jordan so open and vulnerable with her feelings.

Yes, she was the love of his life, but she was also a rogue with a badass reputation to maintain. He watched in some kind of wonder as Jordan's resolve crumbled when she pressed a gentle kiss to the forehead of the slumbering infant.

"I wish I was a mother."

"Jordan?"

She tore her gaze away from the baby to find herself getting lost in his deep blue eyes. "Yes?"

"Jordan, I love you for so many reasons, but there's one thing I want you to know right now."

"What's that?"

"Even if it takes a few more years for things to simmer down with your trouble to the point where you can control it again, we will have a baby together. It will be worth the wait."

And with that, Jordan's resolve crumbled a second time.

Only because she'd never been so happy and felt so loved in her entire life.


	3. Show Me What I'm Looking For

As with any new mother and her new child, Audrey and her daughter both woke up every few hours in the night, Audrey because she wanted to make sure her daughter was happy and the baby because she was hungry. Each time, Audrey conveyed her thanks to Jordan and Dwight, too tired to remember that she'd done so previously.

Jordan and Dwight also lost sleep, but they felt that taking turns holding a newborn baby made up for it although Jordan was almost reluctant to hand her over when Audrey woke up for the day around daybreak.

"Will you tell us her name yet?" Jordan wanted to know.

"Nope. Nathan has to see her first." Audrey glanced out the window and then back at her friends. "The snow stopped. Can we try calling for help again?"

Dwight called for an ambulance while Jordan called Nathan. He picked up on the third ring.

"Jordan, are the girls okay?"

"They're perfect. Audrey is wide awake and holding the baby right now."

"Can I talk to her, please?"

"Of course. Here you go."

Jordan went to check on her gloves while Audrey talked to Nathan, and found that they were finally dried out. Putting them back on, she sighed; the freedom had been nice while it lasted, but now it was back to reality.

"Hey, you."

"Hmm?"

Dwight was putting her phone back into her hands and trying to get her attention.

"The road is still a bit slick, so only the emergency vehicles can use it right now. The ambulance will be here soon, so we need to get Audrey and the baby ready to go."

"We're going with them?"

"Nathan _did_ ask us to look after his girlfriend, which is what we're doing and I don't think Audrey would be too thrilled if we left her alone right now, especially after everything that's already happened."

Jordan took her phone, smiling slyly at her boyfriend. "Admit it - you just want one more chance to hold the baby."

"Yeah, that, too." Dwight laughed nervously; he saw Audrey's child as practice for when he and Jordan got to having their own kids. "Now, let's go. You tell Nathan to meet us at the hospital, and I'll get Audrey and the baby ready."

* * *

An hour-and-a-half later, Jordan and Dwight found themselves in the empty hospital waiting room. They'd seen to it that Audrey and the baby got settled into an available room, but when Nathan arrived, they left because they wanted to give the new family some private time.

It had been their every intention to go back home, but Jordan couldn't hold herself together any longer and ended up having a little breakdown by the time they had returned to the waiting room.

Dwight couldn't lie - as much as he loved Jordan, there was only a certain extent to which he could comfort her, and it was unimaginable to think about the torture that she had to deal with day in and day out. It wasn't that her curse caused her to hurt people, it was that it made her literally untouchable.

It all made his heart ache, but it also strengthened his resolve and his determination to be patient and wait for her.

That's why he had no problem whatsoever in sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall in a public place to hold Jordan and soothe her.

"We're going to be okay." he told her. "It's going to take some time, but we're going to be okay."

"But what if it takes years for me to be able to control my curse again, and then we find out that for whatever reason that we can't have kids?"

"No need to think negatively about things that haven't even happened yet, but if that's the case, then what if we adopted a kid or a set of siblings?"

"I like that idea. We'd be giving them not only love, but also _hope."_

"Do we want a boy or a girl?"

"As long as the kid is healthy and healthy, it doesn't really matter." Jordan sat up a little and looked at Dwight. "How many kids will we have?"

"Three," he decided. "And just watch - they'll all be girls."

"If they all have my attitude, I'm going to go grey prematurely..."

"And I wouldn't? You realize that I'm going to be the one sitting on the porch with a shotgun, ready to scare off their dates, right?"

"Especially if one of them decides to set her sights on Audrey's and Nathan's daughter, or sons, if they have any. Imagine their kids - a human taser who attracts bullets, and doesn't have the ability to feel pain, or a bullet-attracting human taser who is immune to all the Troubles."

"That would be really remarkable. What if one of our kids or grandkids had the ability, or even just the power, to end the Troubles for good?"

Jordan sobered up at this and because the thought had already occurred to her, but she recovered quickly and got to her feet, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Now who's getting ahead of themselves, huh? I vote for staying right where we are - in the here and now."

Dwight nodded and hauled himself to his feet, stretching. Just as he was going to run the idea of going home by Jordan again, Duke came walking up to them.

"You two are still here?"

"We could say the same thing about you." Dwight replied.

"I was hungry, so I went to the cafeteria." the smuggler waved a hand of dismissal. "It's also really cold outside."

"You just want to see the baby, too." Jordan teased. "I've already called Dwight on that, so it's perfectly okay to admit."

"I just want the kid to know that she's got me as the fun uncle!" Duke protested. "Do either of you know her name yet?"

"No, but Audrey told us that we're going to like it."

A new voice joined the conversation. "Good. All of you are still here."

The trio looked over to see Nathan joining them. He looked deliriously happy and even more so to see them.

"Audrey wants all of you to come back; we're finally ready to tell you all our daughter's name."

They didn't need any more convincing and gladly followed Nathan back to Audrey's room. When Jordan saw her, she couldn't help but smile because even though she and Dwight had been with Audrey all night, she now looked very peaceful and just happy to be in a warm and clean environment with her baby in her arms, her man at her side and rest of her friends around her.

"Jordan," the blond called softly to the raven-haired woman. "Come sit down over here so you can hold her, and don't be afraid to take off your gloves."

She did as she was told, removing her gloves and giving them to Dwight for safekeeping. Amidst Nathan's protesting about Jordan being barehanded, Jordan took the baby from Audrey and sat in the rocking chair with her.

"It's okay." Jordan started to rock the chair when she saw the baby was getting fussy. "Auntie Jordan is here now. You remember me, don't you?"

Indeed she did, because she was already relaxing the sound of Jordan's calming voice. When the baby let out a whimper, Jordan reached out and brushed her tiny cheek with a fingertip.

"You're okay, little one. Just go ahead and sleep. Uncle Dwight and I won't let anything bad happen to you."

Jordan caressed the baby's cheek again and just melted when the baby found her finger and squeezed it with all her strength. She looked up to see Audrey watching happily, and to see that Dwight's expression read awe and adoration. Duke, however, was looking at her with a newfound respect.

"I think we have a baby whisperer among us." (the baby was now dozing against Jordan's chest) "That's just eeky."

Nathan, meanwhile, looked oddly relieved. "She didn't pass the section of the newborn test that had to do with feeling, but seeing her with you just makes me feel better somehow."

"Like all isn't lost." Audrey added thoughtfully. "Eleanor will be okay."

"Eleanor?" Jordan echoed. "After Doctor Carr?"

"Yeah, and because she was my first friend when I moved here. She also looked after me, like a mom."

"That's really sweet. I miss her."

Nathan cleared his throat. "We're calling her Ella for short, but her full name is Eleanor Lucy Jordan Wournos."

Jordan's throat clogged up when she heard the name, and it took her some effort because she was overcome with emotion, but she was eventually able to voice her thoughts.

"You two gave her my name?"

"Mhm." Audrey confirmed. "We did, and we were wondering if we could ask you and Dwight something."

"Oh?"

"We were wondering if you two would do us the honor of being Eleanor's godparents."

Jordan and Dwight exchanged glances with each other, having a conversation with their eyes. It didn't take them vey long to reach their conclusion and Jordan turned back to Audrey with a proud smile.

"We would be delighted to be Eleanor's godparents."


	4. Epilogue

In time, Eleanor Lucy Jordan Wournos grew to be the spitting image of her mother, although that came as no surprise. She was very pleasant, and she just loved hanging out with her godparents, having adventures with them.

That warmed Jordan's heart in particular, especially when she began concentrating more on being able to control her curse. Most people regarded the bartender as a pariah not to be trifled with, but all Eleanor saw in her was a woman as wonderful as her mother who loved to hold her and play with her. Eleanor could not feel anything and was also somehow immune to the Troubles, so she had no idea that Jordan was a woman people avoided.

When Jordan finally _did_ get pregnant and Eleanor figured out what was going on, it was not uncommon when the two of them were together to see one of Elenor's hands plastered to Jordan's big belly. Most people wrote it off as cute because Eleanor didn't have a sibling (yet), but there were times when Jordan thought it was a little strange because it was as if the toddler was being pulled to her.

All that aside, today was different because not only had Eleanor turned a whopping two years old, but it was also the birthday of Jordan's daughter, and she was already four hours old.

* * *

"Hello again, beautiful girl." Jordan cooed to her daughter when Dwight eased her back into her arms. "Mama loves you so much. Yes, I do."

The newborn yawned hugely and blinked up at her parents in awe.

In her parents' eyes, she was perfect - warm pinkish skin, deep hazel eyes and head of jet black hair that was beginning to curl slightly. There was even a splash of freckles across the bridge of her nose.

"Audrey, Nathan and Ella are going to be here soon." Dwight commented. "Do you think there's a chance that any of them will notice the baby's Troubles and assure us that it's not all in our heads?"

"That's what I'm hoping for."

As delighted as Jordan and Dwight were to finally meet their daughter, they'd realized very quickly that she was exhibiting signs of Jordan's curse - it was faint, but when they touched her bare skin, they realized that she was generating a wave of pain that would no doubt grow stronger when she got older.

There was also evidence of another curse, but they couldn't put their finger on it just yet.

"Hope has led us on for the past two years, and it always will." Dwight kissed his girlfriend on the forehead, loving that he could touch her now. "Everything will work out."

"My curse manifested when I was five. What if that's what happens with the baby? I'll be able to sympathize with her, but in time, neither of us would be able to touch her! I don't want her to experience what I did!"

"Five years is a long time off yet, and it might never get that strong."

Jordan remained moot. "But she's just going to generate the pulse she has now for the rest of her life. Great."

"And we'll face it head on."

At this, Jordan had no good answer because she knew that Dwight was doing his best to cheer her up. They both knew it was just the post-birth hormones winding her up, so Jordan just let it go and began talking to the baby.

Welcoming the distraction, Dwight took a few deep breaths to steady himself. He loved Jordan Rachel McKee with everything he had, and it had been that way since they were kids. Jordan was his best friend, his soulmate, his rock. Asking her The Question would be hard, but it was now or never. He even had a ring in his pocket.

"Jordan?"

She tore her gaze away from the baby. "Hmm?"

"I love you so much, and there are never going to be enough words to say how much you mean to me."

She started getting teary-eyed because she hadn't been expecting that. "I've never doubted any of that for a minute. Why are you telling me these things?"

"Because I'm not great at speeches and I was trying to think of something wonderful and moving to say before I got to asking you a certain question."

Jordan felt her stomach do a somersault when Dwight pulled a beautiful diamond ring from his pocket and held it out to her.

"Will you marry me?"

Jordan couldn't help herself and giggled as she nodded. "Yes, Dwight, I will!"

With slightly trembling fingers, Dwight slid the ring onto Jordan's left ring finger and then leaned over and kissed his new fiancée square on the lips. They broke apart sooner than they would've liked because they didn't want to accidentally squash the baby.

"How about that, baby princess?" Jordan kissed her daughter on the nose. "Looks like mama and daddy are getting married!"

The little one just cooed contently and stretched out before curling up into the fetal position, still not used to life outside the womb just yet.

Jordan could've stayed like that forever with her, but she was brought back to reality when a knock at the door sounded into the room.

"That'll be the Wournoses." Dwight asked her. "Do you feel decent enough?"

Jordan nodded. She had recovered somewhat from the initial delivery process and as she lay in her bed now, she had her favorite cotton robe from home wrapped around her, and everything that needed to be covered was.

"Just open the door, you big worrywart." She laughed. "Ella is probably going to try to break the door down if you stand there any longer. That kid's hearing and intuition is unreal..."

Dwight laughed and opened the door so the family on the other side through. As Nathan and Audrey undid their own coats, Ella decided that they were going too slow and enlisted Dwight's help to get out of her own snow gear, giggling as her godfather made an extra effort to fluff out the tutu dress she was wearing.

"Me two!" She held up the three fingers. "Two, two, two!"

Dwight humored her by nodding. "That's a very big number, Ella. Is today your birthday?"

"Yep!"

"Do you know who else's birthday it is?"

"No." She answered innocently.

"It's also Ladybug's birthday."

Ella looked around in excitement; Ladybug was the nickname she'd bestowed on the Hendrickson-McKee baby the minute she'd been aware of her.

"Where La'ybug?"

"She's up on the bed with Auntie Jordan. Do you want to see her?"

Nod.

"Okay, but you have to be really good and quiet because she's brand new and very little."

Ella gave another solemn nod, accepting Dwight's terms and letting him lift her up. Audrey and Nathan watched as Ella cozied up to Jordan and then speak softly to the baby.

"Hi-hi, La'ybug! Love you!"

Ella kissed her own fingertips and touched them to the baby's hand. Then a curious thing happened - Ella recoiled in pain. What made the whole thing as curious as it was was that it had been long ago discovered that the little girl didn't have a normal concept of pain, and for a reason that nobody seemed to understand, Ella seemed to be both unfeeling and immune to the Troubles at the time same time. Nobody could figure out exactly why this was, and as far as the adults knew, this was the first time Ella had ever truly experienced pain.

Audrey moved to her side the fastest. "Eleanor, are you okay?"

The two-year-old seemed stunned and then when her father joined them, putting a hand on her shoulder, she almost jumped out of her skin because she hadn't even felt him. Upset, Ella burrowed back into Jordan's side, mumbling a grumpy "Go 'way!" to her parents, both of whom were looking at Jordan and Dwight with surprise.

"What was that?" Nathan asked.

"Really?" Dwight raised his eyebrows. "You can't feel anything, your wife is immune to the Troubles and your daughter has inherited both of your guys' curses, but you're going to ask us what just happened with the kids just now?"

"Fair enough."

"Actually," Audrey said suddenly. "Nathan can only feel Ella and me. Maybe the baby inherited Jordan's curse and Ella can only feel h- sweet girl, what's the matter now?"

Audrey had gotten distracted when she saw that Ella was now struggling to remove her hand from the baby, who had Ella's fingertip clenched tightly in her own fingers.

"Great." Dwight hung his head. "Of course my daughter would be magnetic and have a profound affect on Ella."

The girl in question all but snarled at her parents when they tried to help her out, but she cooperated fully with Jordan and when she was freed, she looked up at her godmother.

"Wha's her name?"

"Audrey Alexandra."

Ella nodded and yawned hugely, as it was nap time, and made a show of snuggling up with Jordan again. Her hand found its way to Little Audrey's back, but minus the magnetic pull this time.

"Love my Ojjie."

"I love her, too." Jordan told Ella. "Are you going to be buddies with her?"

She nodded again, and with one final yawn and stretch, she was out like a light. The baby wasn't too far behind her.

"Okay, I'll take that." Jordan switched her attention from the two now snoozing kids in her arms back to Dwight, Audrey and Nathan. "I think that the kids are bonded for life now, and Audrey?"

"Yes?"

"We named her after you, and also because we love that Audrey means noble strength."

Audrey was deeply touched and held her arms out. "May I hold her? Please?"

"Of course!"

Little Audrey fussed in her sleep when she realized she was being moved, but the second she made contact with her namesake and adjusted to being in her embrace, she simmered right down. She even sank into a deeper, more blissful sleep when Audrey and Nathan started talking quietly to her, moving towards the window and describing the snow-covered landscape to her.

The way that Nathan had an arm wrapped around his wife's waist, almost protectively, caused the wheels in Jordan's brain to turn and make her quiet. Dwight followed his new fiancée's gaze.

"What are you thinking about?"

"How Nathan is holding his wife. Do you think Ella's got a sibling on the way?"

"If she does, I'm sure her parents will tell us in due time, but for now, it looks like Ella needs your attention."

Indeed - the little one had started tossing and turning in her sleep, so without a second thought, Dwight eased Ella's shoes off her feet and then Jordan pulled her on top of her, readjusting the blanket so that Ella was covered. It took a minute, but Ella finally relaxed and slept on.

Jordan glanced down at her engagement ring, remembering it was there. "Should we tell Audrey and Nathan about this?"

Dwight sat next to her, pulling her into his embrace, just as he had two years ago on the night they'd looked after a newborn Ella.

"Let's just let them be for a little bit."

"Sounds good to me."

"Are you happy, Jordan?"

She nodded and rested her head on his chest. "I've never been so happy in my entire life, although - are you happy?"

"One hundred percent, and I know it's taken awhile, but it looks like we finally got the happy ending that both of us have always wanted."

"We really did."

"Now I finally understand what 'happily ever after' means."

"Shhh." Jordan shushed him. "Let's not jinx it."

"Let's just be happy?"

"Exactly."

And so they were, until the end of their days.

* * *

_Done_

* * *

_Drop a line and let me know what you think, but that's the end of this story, so there won't be anymore updates after this one ;)_


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